Automobile-bumper.



n. FAGEOL.

AUTOMOBILE BUMPER.

APPL1c/1T10N f1LED1uNE 6.1910. RENEWED Nov. 21. 1913.

A Patented Oct. 24,1916.

ROLLIE B. FAGIEOL, OF OAKLAND, CALIFOBNJIA.

anroiuoiainnnuivirnn.

lltlgm Application filed. .Tune 6, 1910, Serial No. 565,154.

ywith moving or stationary objects and is particularly directed to a bumper for automobiles. v

@ne object of the present invention is to provide a device of the aforesaid character which may be cheaply manufactured and readily attached to a vehicle without altering the construction or detracting from the appearance thereof, and which when positioned will effectively guard against injury the parts of a vehicle which it is designed to protect. f

My invention is further directed lto the provision of aibumper for vehicles which will embody the fewest possible number of parts and which by reason of its structure and mode of application to a vehicle, will eliminate the rattling noise which usually results from /the interconnected parts of many of the bumpers now known. The elimination of this disagreeable feature is a decided advantage for obvious reasons.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a bumper for motor vehicles and the like of such nature as to be'particularly effective in deflecting the shocks from encountering obstacles in such a way as to minimize the danger of injury either to the vehicle or to the object encountered.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a bumper which will yield in all directions both forward and back and laterally, and more particularly in which the end portions of the bumper will yield to a considerable extent, whereby the force of impact or blow received fr om the bumper from any angle, and particularly upon the end portions thereof which are exposed and most likely to be struck, will be dissipated f through the resiliency of the bumper, and the car, as well as any object struck, most effectively protected against injury.

Another object'of the invention consists in theprovision of a bumper structure of such character that the bumper itself will Specification of Letters lPatent.

lPatented'Uct. 2.a? fain. Rem-,wed november a1, 1era. serial No. eoaaa.

not be destroyed or permanently distorted or injured by the less im )ortant shocks to which a bumper is frequently subjected, so that the bumper will not be quickly rendered useless or distorted into unsightly form,

A further. object of the invention is the construction of a bumper in such a way that it may be adjusted to render it capable of being attached to cars of various types and sizes and having different widths of frame.

Anotherobject of the invention is the provision of a bumper structure which will be attractive in appearance, as well as efficient and durable, and which shall tend to improvethe appearance of the 4vehicle to which it is applied.

l shall now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein ll have shown a specific embodiment of my invention as applied to the forward part of a motor vehicle, although l would have it understood that I do not limit myself to this particular form of use, or method ofA application, as my invention may be applied to the rear or other part of a motor vehicle or to any otherform of vehicle, and the structural detailsthereof may be varied in different ways without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view illustrating one form of my bumper applied to an automobile. Fig. 2 isa plan view of the bumper as shown in Fig. l removed from the machine. ig.'3 is an enlarged detail broken view of the body member or buffer bar of the bumper,

disclosing an adjustable connection between the same and one of its yieldable supporting members. F ig. l is a detail broken View disclosing one form of adjustable connection between the yieldable supports and the forward end portion of a vehicle. y

Referring now in detail to the specific embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, in which like characters of reference are employed to designate similar parts throughout the several views, numeral l is used to indicate the-body member of the bumper bar, and 2 and'Q the end support- *ing men'ibers therefor. These members are preferably made of yieldable material such Aas spring metal and are designed. when the bumper is applied transversely of the automobile, yto project a slight distance beyond the sides of the body of the vehicle, or substantially in -line with thetread of the forward wheels thereof.

Each end supporting member 2 and 2 is preferably curved inwardly and rearwardly, as shown, so as to form a goose-neck extension member for the bumber bar -or body 1, the rearwardly extending portions 3 of the said members being, in the present drawing illustrated as adjustably attached to the forward springs et of the automobile by 'the grooved clamp plates 5-5, between which the saidportion 3 ofeach supporting memvber is secured, and held to thespring 4 of the automobile by the stirrup bolt 6, 'which embraces the leaves of the lower half of the spring 4 and the plate 5, the screw threaded ends of the bolt passing through the clamp plate 5, and being held thereto by the securing nuts 7 The rearwardly extending portion 3 of each yieldable supporting member rests within the longitudinal recesses .7 of the clamp plates 5 and 5', which recesses, when the-plates are clamped together, formalong'itudinally disposed seat for said free ends k3 of the supporting Imembers 2 and 2. By adjusting the ends 3 of the sup- 1 porting members relative to the clamp plates 5y and 5', the lposition of the body portion 1 of the bumperattachment may bel readily varied in relation to the. forward end of the automobile. This adjustment is accomvplished by simply unscrewing the nuts ,7

to release the clamp plates 5 and 5', when the ends 3 may be moved inwardly or outwardly as desired, to decrease or increase the distance of the body 1 with respect to the front of the machine. By this arrangekeflicient guard.

Yment it will be manifest that my invention may be readily applied to automobiles of various types and positioned relatively to the parts thereofto be protected to 4'form an In the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated, the body 1 isl composed of a hollow. bar, the ends lof which are formed with the tapered internal screwthreads 8, 'which receive .the externally screw-threadedv split extensionsl 8.' of the hollow securing nuts 9. Within these securing nuts, the supporting members 2 .and

2 are adjustably held, being clamped therethe split. extensions 8 into` in byfscrewin n the taperedvt readedends of the body 1,

. thesaid securingnuts` serving as bearings the bumper, the supporting for thesupporting members 2 and 2. By this method of connecting the endsupp'orting members to the bodyfportion or bar of members' may be adjusted inwardly an outwardly `to .vary the width of the bumper and attaching means tok adjust the device to carsof different widths of frame. Thus, the bumper attachmentis not only permitted longitudinal adjustment with respect to thecar front,

`but likewise lateral adjustment-'to vvary the width thereof in accordance with that of the cartol which it is to be applied.

Inasmuch as each of the. supporting yieldable end members constitutes a continuation y'of the b ar or body member 1, a continuous 'surface 1s provided which eliminates the possibility of the ends of the'bufer bar becoming entangled with an ob'ect interposed 1n the path of movement o the vehicle and which would ordinarily tend to foul the bumper and break the projecting ends.,

yield and that the inclination thus produced in addition to the initial end curvature will guide the object `laterally and rearwardly out of the path of travel of the car. This result is further promoted by forming the bumper ends of smooth metal sprin bars which cause the blows to glance o in a manner which would not be so satisfactorily obtained if the front of the bumper were,

ffr instance, formed of rubber tubing-or the li e. i

As the body of the bumper is supported and sustained by its springend members,

it is apparent that the same will give to any lateral strains placed thereon equally as well as to longitudinal strains; consequently the lbumper will yield under all strains to whichit is subjected. By thus compensating for lateral strains, Vthere is no danger of the connection between the bumper body and the car body being broken or damaged by a side blow falling thereon. Furthermore, owing to the yielding character of the bumper vand particularly the end portions thereof, it will be seen that when the bumper is subjected to even considerable shocks, it will j `yield without being broken or permanently damaged. The endportions of the bumper are particularly likely vto. be struck glancing or other blows and these portions being of spring material will at oncereturn to their 'origina-1 shape without any permanent ini jurybelng caused to the bumper whatever.

It will be seen that the bumper described includes. an im act receiving member com- .120 lprisingthe bo y'portion 1 of the bumper andthe outwardv extending sections of the spring end portions of the spring support 2 and 2', which com rise in fact extensions of? the body 14 and l't at this impact receivingmember is vformed, as to its end portions atleast, of spring metal, that is, metal which will yield to a substantial extent and return to its original shape. this impact receiving member are also re- The end portions of naoaeeo inforoed and yieldingly supported by the inwardly bent parts of the spring supporting members, which assist in restoring the bumper to its original position after impact. 'llhe use of spring material in the construction of theI bumper itself is of particular importance in securing durability and ability to withstand impacts without permanent distortion, thereby overcoming a defect to which bumpers made of rigid material have been peculiarly subjected.- f

An important feature of the present invention resides in providing the body of the bumper with spring supporting members which constitute a continuation of the body and the supporting means therefonand this irrespective of the shape which may be given thereto, whereby spring held supporting rods and the, attaching parts associated therewith are unnecessary',l and this feature it is desired to claim broadly.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new hereinand desire to secure vby Letters Patent is:

An automobile bumper comprising a body member for extension across the front of an automobile, a plurality of spring supporting members' laterally extended with vrespect to the body-of the automobile from the ends of the body part and means for adjustably clamping the spr-ing supporting members to the frame of an automobile,

2. An automobile bumper comprising a buffer bar for extension across the front of n an automobile, yieldable'supporting members longitudinallyv extended from the ends of said body member, adjustable means for clamping said -members to the body member for lateral adjustment, and means for clampingthe free end of the spring supporting members to the frame of an automobile.

3. An automobile bumper, comprising a` `bui'erbar for extension transversely of an automobile, yieldable supporting members adjustably connected to each end of said vbar for lateral adjustment, and adjustable means for vclamping the free end of said supporting members to the frame of an automobile,.whereby the bumper is permittedv lateral adjustment and horizontal adjustment relative to the'automobile. 1

4. An automobile bumper comprising a tubular body member, projecting spring supports extending within the ends of the body member, an adjusting nut member on together, one of themembers being provided with an externally screw threaded split end the ends thereof, and meanstor clamping j.

the free ends of said supporting members to the frame of an automobile.

p 6. A bumper -for vehicles comprising a buffer bar for extension transversely of the vehicle, spring supporting members for said bar, `the said supporting members constituting a continuation of the body member and being extended therefrom laterally relative to the vehicle.

7. An automobile bumper, comprising a body member for extension transversely of an automobile, adjustable spring supporting members secured to andv projecting from each end of the body member, the said supporting members constituting longitudinal continuations of the body member.

8. An automobile bunper, comprising a body member for extension across the front of an automobile, a spring supporting member projecting from each end of the body member, each supporting 'member being inwardly extended for a distance in a plane substantially parallel to the body member, and then extended horizontally at substantially la right angle to said body member,

and means for clamping the free end of eachsupporting member to the frame of an from the ends of the body member, means for clamping one end of each supporting member to an end of the said body member,

and devices' for clamping the opposite end f' of the supporting members to the frame of an` automobile'.` f

10.- An automobile bumper, comprising a body member' provided with tapered internally screw-threaded end sections, hollow` securing nuts formed with a split externally screw-threaded section for screwing into the ends of the body member, and vspr-ing supporting members clamped' to the ends of the -body member by the said securing nuts.

`11. A securing attachment for adjustably uniting a spring supportin member to the end of an internally'threa ed body member of anv automobile bumper, comprising a hollow Vnut provided with an externally threaded split extension which screws into the threaded end of the body member, the said l.securing nuts'erving as a bearing for the the end of each spring support for securingthe spring supports and the bodymember spring supporting member.

U12. A bumper for extensionv across the frame 'of an automobile, terminating in a loop at each end and` a straight portion arranged:substantially at right langles to the transverse 'portion ot the bumper and loop for' connecting .each loop to lthe vehicle, said loops and straight portions being yieldable.. 13. Aj'bumper having an impact member' adapted to extend across the front of a 'vehicle, said member having rearwardly curved spring end loops constituting longitudinal extensions ofV said impact member andadapted to yield bodily to impacts. y 1l. A bumper adapted to extend .across the front of a vehicle and having rearwardly curved end portions constituting longitudinal extensions of the bumper and comprising front and iear spring members united at their outer extremities and yieldable means connecting the rear spring members to the vehicle.

15. A bumper for motor vehicles comprising'an impact receiving part and terminal loop portions, one arm of the loop .portions constituting a longitudinal prolongation of the impact receiving part, and the oppositel arm of the loop portions being disposed rearwardly of and extending inwardly along-side the impact receiving portion a substantial distance from the end of the bumper and adapted at its inner end for connection with the vehicle.

' necting the 'same yto the vehicle comprising spring arms connected to ing portion and having rearwardly substantially the impact receiva part extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the 'impact' receiving portion and adapted to be connected to the vehicle at points removed inwardly from the ends of the bumper.

18. A' bumper of the type described for motor vehicles, comprising an impact portion having yieldable end portionsv each formed of closely related oppositely disposed arms constituting reinforced longitudinal continuations of the'limpact portion, and. securing terminal parts located inwardly a substantial distance from the outer ends of said continuatioiis.

19. An automobile bumper comprising open ended loops extending outwardly at the opposite ends of the bumper, and an impact receiving portion forming a continuation of said loops and snacing'them apart, said loops being horizontally yieldable, and rearwardly extending attaching means on the loops to mount said bumper on the vehicle frame.

20. A bumper for motor vehicles having end portions provided with return parts to form terminal loops, the opposite arms of the. loops extending substantially parallel with one another and being freely yieldable, and said return parts having terminal attaching portions at points spaced inwardly from the ends of the bumper.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROLLIE B. FAGEOL. Witnesses z N. A. ACKER, D. B. RICHARDS. 

